1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article gripping device for gripping, for example, a tire from the radial direction in a tire forming process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when a tire having been assembled into a ring shape by using predetermined members is conveyed in the axial direction of the tire in a tire forming process, a device for gripping the tire from the outside in the radial direction has been used. As this article gripping device, there is known an article gripping device in which a plurality of gripping members are provided at predetermined intervals on a ring-shaped frame, and the gripping members are operated by a link mechanism operating in association with the operation of a driving cylinder, by which the gripping members are brought into contact under pressure with the outer peripheral surface of an article.
However, in the conventional article gripping device, since the gripping members arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction are respectively brought into contact under pressure with the article, there is produced a gap between the adjacent gripping members. Therefore, the article cannot be gripped in a state of a nearly complete round, so that there is a possibility that the outer peripheral portion of article is deformed, or the center thereof shifts.